Research and development of the present invention and application have not been Federally-sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to products for the treatment of dry skin, particularly dry skin on the face. It also relates to a method for using such products, and a method for the manufacture thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR Sections 1.97-1.99
More particularly, the invention relates to variations in the method and apparati disclosed in applicant""s U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,072, granted Feb. 9, 1999, and entitled METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A GLOVE, said application having common ownership with the present application.
The entire disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,072 is specifically incorporated, by reference, into the present application in accordance with Section 608.01(p) of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure.
Returning now to the issue that is addressed by the present invention, it is well known today that dry skin has been and continues to be a problem, not only for individuals in the teen-age group, but also for the public in general. With advancing age, a person experiences pronounced inability to maintain the condition of the skin, especially skin around the face, and more specifically the eyes. Wrinkles at the far corner of each eye, and dark circles under the eyes are well known phenomena, and efforts to cover up such undesirable characteristics constitute an ongoing field of research.
The problem can be stated simply as a person""s natural inclination to be as attractive as possible, this going hand-in-hand with attempts to make the person look younger. Unfortunately, the emphasis on youth has become all-encompassing, as is well documented by the number of people who seek hair transplant and/or face lifts, particularly for those over 35 years of age.
As a consequence, there is a multitude of skin care products on the market, including various types of creams, lotions and oils.
In the decades subsequent to 1940, lotions incorporating homogenized oil-water mixtures were developed, the theory being that the water was, at least in part, absorbable into the skin, with the oil remaining on the skin so as to form a barrier. It was considered that the barrier restricted the inevitable evaporation which occurred, but in practice, evaporation was found to be an ongoing process, and the results obtained were marginal at best. Also, oil-based moisturizers suffer from the disadvantage of imparting to the skin a residual, greasy feel and appearance.
Subsequent discoveries included lotions containing urea, which is hygroscopic, and which has the ability to absorb and hold water in place on the skin itself. An undesirable side effect included inadvertent irritation to the skin, due to the fact that urea was somewhat on the base side, pH wise, and was capable of forming salts only when combined with a relatively strong acid.
Other ventures involved the use of lecithin, a naturally occurring substance derived from the soybean. It is generally considered to be a phosopholipid, and is capable of absorbing relatively large amounts of water. A preparation containing this is purportedly sold under the trademark COMPLEX 15, manufactured by Key Pharmaceuticals.
Still other compounds involved the use of emulsions containing water, glycerine, mineral oil, alcohol, propylene glycol, lanolin, and fatty acids. Additional products comprise preparations known to contain what is known as Retin-A, a vitamin A derivative.
A-hydroxy-acids have also been used for skin treatment. While this class of product is often referred to as a moisturizer, in fact, the action of the A-hydroxy-acid is actually one involving a mild attack on the skin, wherein the outermost cells, which are likely to be the dry ones, are chemically extricated, and the remaining cells, previously lying below the outer layer, then become the new, outer layer. Naturally, these new cells, being younger and more protected, yield the desired result, namely a xe2x80x9cnewxe2x80x9d skin look and feel, as well as increased moisture content, at least for the period immediately following the use of the A-hydroxy-acid.
Other methods of treatment involved what are known as xe2x80x9cpeeling agentsxe2x80x9d, such as benzoyl peroxide; astringents, which firm up the tissues of the skin; and in some cases, oral or topical antibiotics, where infection is suspected to be a problem.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,591,501 and 5,302,377 are directed to related objectives in the treatment of dry skin.
In particular, Pat. No. 4,591,501 relates to a film that is produced by applying to a suitable base paper or material, a polypeptide, a plasticizer, and a polymer. The film, when moistened, will release the polypeptide and enable it to cover the skin. The nature of the polypeptide utilized is given in col. 1, line 61, namely, xe2x80x9cxe2x80x98Polypeptidexe2x80x99 as used herein, means and refers to polyamino acids derived from protein along with the proteins themselves. The polyamino acids useful in the practice of the invention are those . . . having a molecular weight of at least 3000. Preferably, the polyamino acids are derived from collagen.xe2x80x9d
Specific reference is made to the prior art cited during the prosecution of the application which matured into U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,501.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,377 relates to lotions for use as cold creams, after shaves, antiperspirants, skin moisturizers, and related functions. More particularly the patent involves a topical preparation prepared from a fatty alkoxylate ester. The patentee claims that such use of the preparation as an emollient, to smooth and soften skin, is superior to some prior known techniques, in that there is little or no oily or greasy feel experienced by the user, and thus the product is aesthetically more acceptable.
Finally, most of the creams and lotions on the market today utilize, of necessity, a preservative of some type, which can be irritating to the skin of the user. In essence, a preservative is a chemical that kills or controls bacteria, and application of such a compound to the skin, while deemed acceptable in limited amounts, is considered a potential hazard over the long term. An example of a preservative widely used is methylparaben, which is a crystalline compound HOC6H4xe2x80x94COOCH3; it is the methyl ester of parahydroxybenzoic acid. Also, propylparaben is frequently used as a preservative. It is a crystalline ester, HOC6H4COOC3H7; it is sometimes referred to as propyl para-hydroxy-benzoate.
At least three xe2x80x9cmoisturizersxe2x80x9d currently being marketed in this country, are known to contain propylparaben.
Failure to include a preservative in sufficient quantity to control bacterial growth can have serious consequences, as can well be appreciated when it is considered that skin care products are used by persons from infancy through the geriatric stage. This latter group is most susceptible to adverse side effects, and it is considered that wherever possible, use of preservatives in products which are ingested or topically applied, should be minimized to the greatest possible extent, since the potential hazardous long-term effects of chemicals in our environment is only recently, within the last decade or so, being considered to any great degree.
Finally, with most lotion/cream products, it is necessary to apply the substance and leave it on all day. This leads to inadvertent soiling of papers that may be handled as during office work. Products applied at bed time tend to be rubbed off onto the linens, as the user continuously and unconsciously, shifts position during sleep.
Accordingly there has existed a long-felt need for a product which can be applied to the skin for a relatively short time interval and without leaving a greasy look or feel to the skin, and thereafter perform its intended function and be discarded.
One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved beneficial skin applique which is extremely simple in its structure, and which is both effective in obtaining improved results and convenient to use.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved skin applique as above outlined, which contains ingredients that are substantially completely natural.
A related object of the invention is to provide an improved applique of the kind indicated, which does not utilize preservatives of any kind.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved applique in accordance with the foregoing, which is essentially completely chemically inactive during storage and shipping, and which becomes activated solely just prior to the use of the product by the consumer.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved applique as above characterized, which has an extended shelf life, due to the inherently inactive nature of the product.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved applique as noted above, which can be inexpensively packaged in a watertight pouch, and sold in multiple units containing a plurality of individual pouches, each being wholly self-contained and totally inactive until just prior to use by the consumer.
The above objects are accomplished by a therapeutic applique for treatment of dry skin, comprising in combination a porous, flexible base member which is to be applied to the skin, and a water-activatable substantially solidified material carried on the surfaces of the member and permeating the pores thereof, the water-activated material having a moisture content of substantially less than 10% by weight, of the member, and wherein the material is soluble in water, so as to partially disassociate from the member and leach onto the skin of the user when water is applied to the exterior of the member while the latter is being worn.
The objects are further accomplished by a method of manufacturing a therapeutic member for treatment of dry skin, comprising the steps of mixing a quantity of water with polyvinyl alcohol, and heating the mixture so as to dissolve the alcohol in the water, applying the mixture onto a sheet, heating the sheet so as to reduce the water content to substantially less than 10% by weight of the sheet, and converting the polyvinyl alcohol substantially to a solid, cutting the sheet so as to form members of desired shapes, and sealing the members in substantially water-impervious containers, so as to shield them against moisture loss and thereby keep the solid polyvinyl alcohol in a water-inactive state until the consumer opens the package.